We are located on McMaster's Main Campus in Mills Memorial Library on the Lower Level.

Elevator number 2 and the central stairwell next to that elevator will take you down to our lobby and exhibit area.

Please enter through the wooden doors into the Reading Room and a staff member will greet you.

Sticking points: the wooden door into the reading room is not intuitive, turn the handle and push (we still have a hard time with this). There is no automated button, if you are carrying a number of things, or are using a mobility device, this door may be difficult. Please don't hesitate to let us know you are coming and we will prop the door open. Or wave at us through the the window.

On campus options - some of these may be limited by time of yearOff campus - There are few hotels in walking distance to campus, however the campus is well served by the city bus service (HSR) and there are numerous options downtown and elsewhere that would work well.

You do not need to make an appointment, but we recommend you contact us in advance. Letting us know when you are coming and what you would like to look at will allow us to retrieve material in advance, setup wifi, identify potential access issues, and request material from offsite. 48 hours is recommended, but we will do our best to respond to all inquiries.

Last retrieval is at 4:00 pm. We may not be able to accommodate researchers who have not contacted us in advance after this time.

For archives please identify the title of the Archive you wish to look at and the box numbers by consulting the finding aids linked from the Archives Database.
eg. I would like to see the Vera Brittain fonds, boxes 34-38, and 40.

For books, please provide title, author, and call number or the link to the catalogue record to the book or books you would like to view.

Noise level - the reading room is a relatively quiet space. While it is not a silent area, we do try to maintain a respectful level of audio, aware that researchers can only look at the material here. We have ear plugs available, but if you are sensitive to noise, you may want to bring your own headphones or other devices. There are often small groups conducting research together, tours, or classes passing through the area.

Food and drink - no food or drink (including water) can be permitted at the reading room tables. If you bring such items with you, we ask you to keep them in your bag and take them outside the reading room to consume.

Lunch - But you will need to eat! There are food and beverage vending machines on the second floor of the Library. If you are looking for places to eat on campus, the library is directly adjacent to the busy Student Centre (MUSC), which has a cafeteria and other options. There is also the campus pub (the Phoenix) and a variety of other options on campus. There are a number of options off campus. Head East along Sterling St, and enjoy a 10-15 minute walk through the residential neighbourhood around campus to Westdale, with a variety of shops and places to eat (or a very short bus ride - see buses to the library under 'Getting to Campus'). Or a slightly shorter walk South through campus and across busy Main Street where there is a Starbuck's, Subway, William's, and Pinks Burgers.

Drinking fountain and washroom facilities - These are located one level above the archives on the ground floor. The fountain has a bottle filler as well as a spout.

Electrical outlets and computer terminals - The tables are equipped with outlets on the table top as well as usb ports for powering and charging your devices. There is a single public terminal for accessing finding aids and the library catalogue.

Wifi and Internet access - You can use wifi through Eduroam or we can set you up a guest account. The latter may take some time, and we would appreciate it if you could let us know in advance to avoid delay.

Temperature - Typically, the Reading Room is on the cool side, however it can fluctuate in either direction. In the summer, it can be quite cold, especially compared to the hot and humid air outside. We recommend that you bring an extra sweater and that you dress in layers to help keep yourself comfortable regardless of the temperature.

Personal belongings - We ask you to leave your personal belongings in the coat rack located next to the reference desk. If you bring your bag to your desk, please keep it on the floor.

Note-taking - Please bring your own personal computer or paper to record your notes in. We have pencils and a sharpener, but you are welcome to bring your own. We ask you not to use pens, markers, or similar while working with our material as they cannot be removed if accidentally marked.

At present, we are not the official archives of the University. We have yearbooks both here and in the library upstairs, which you are welcome to look through, but we do not have student records. Please direct inquiries to the alumni or registrar's office.

We have a small amount of records relating to some of the faculties and departments. We do not have old exam papers.

The William Ready Division houses the records for the Anglican Diocese of Niagara. We have the baptismal, confirmation, marriage, and burial records for the churches in that area.

If you know which church the records are housed in, you may want to start with this listing of parishes to identify the register and microfilm reel you need or contact us to get help with where to begin.

Current Exhibit

So Long For Now - A Tribute to Stuart McLean. A curated selection of fascinating material from Stuart McLean's archive.

Come downstairs and see a display of some of the treasures of the Archives and Rare Books collections. Accessible via Elevator #2 or the adjacent stairwell in Mills Library.

Mission Statemement

The William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections is the principal repository for rare books, archives, antiquarian maps, and related historical material at McMaster University in support of teaching, education, and scholarship.

The Division serves a broad range of users, including McMaster students, faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as a national and international community of researchers and scholars, and members of the general public, both locally and beyond. Archives and Research Collections aims to collect materials that will support the research and teaching activities of the McMaster community and to be an engaged participant in the scholarly work of the University.

Conservation Lab

See some of the extraordinary work of our conservator, Audrie Schell, repairing and restoring a medieval Book of Hours.